A tangible reminder of baptism

Submitted by the Rev. Becky Balestri Killion, pastor at Underwood Hills Church in Omaha, Nebraska

On Baptism of the Lord Sunday, we had a table at the front of the church with a large bowl of water and a "bubbler" in it so that we could hear water throughout the service. The bowl had shells in it, and shells were lying on the blue cloth covering the table.

The sermon was on baptism and living out our baptism. After the sermon, I shared with the congregation a bit of the history of shells and baptism. Then I passed baskets of shells to about four people sitting at the aisles and to each person I said, "Remember your baptism on Thursday.” Each of these worshipers took a shell, and then passed it to another worshiper saying, "Remember your baptism on [day they picked].” At the close of the service, my charge to the congregation was, "Remember your baptism at 5:00 on Tuesday."

A couple of weeks later the Rev. Killion received this feedback in a written reflection from a member of the congregation.

Two weeks ago our pastor spoke on our baptism. She passed out shells to remind us of our baptism and I chose mine, the one that I thought was best for me. I looked at it and felt it and put it against my cheek and it was cool and smooth. After snacks I put it in my coat pocket and felt it there. I forgot about it until Tuesday. I went to take off my coat and felt the shell and remembered my baptism. I thought, my day to remember was Wednesday, so I put my shell on my dresser and I lay my glasses beside it. The first thing when I got up I reached for my glasses there was my shell. I remembered my baptism. I put my shell on the bathroom shelf by my other shell and I look at them every day.

I've learned how important the tangible element in worship is.

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